Kingdom Hearts: The Darkheart Crystal
by Heart Key
Summary: Story that takes place a few months after KH. Long chapters. The goal here is to create a plausible link between KH and KH2, assuming Chain of Memories isn't happening. Please RR!
1. Chapter 1

November 2003  
  
Kingdom Hearts: The Darkheart Crystal  
  
Prelude  
  
Kydran reeled back, the force of the blow too much for his equilibrium to handle. The black-haired boy fell to the ground. A searing pain flared through his head. His ears were ringing. His hands each lost grip of his 'blades. A dull thud sounded, no echo responding from the nothingness. His bright green eyes stared out into the void, out into the eternal abyss that was the Darkness.  
I could go there, now, thought Kydran as he lay on the ice-cold ground, floating on that rock in the center of the Darkness. He closed his eyes. I could end it.  
The figure loomed over him. Twin leathery wings expanded out from it, stretching forever, sinking into the Darkness that had spawned the boy's killer.  
Kydran's eyes opened, looking up into the face of his Nemesis.  
His father's eyes glared back at him.  
  
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Chapter 1 In which our Hero, Kydran, awakens in a new place and finds a home.  
  
The boy woke with a start, jumping upright from his place on the alley floor, his breath coming in shallow heaves. Disoriented, he braced himself up with his arms, the reality beginning to sink in. He wasn't dead. His father hadn't killed him.  
His father?  
Kydran placed a hand on his head, the ache beginning to seep in. In moments he would forget the dream, the pain overcoming the fading images. He picked himself up, taking in his surroundings, feeling lost. Where was he? Certainly not where he was last.  
Wherever that is, he mused. And it certainly wasn't the time that he remembered it being. The night sky, clear as crystal, beamed down on him... with little light, for the sky seemed sparsely starred. As he looked up, he sighed, realizing that this did not bode well.  
He carried himself to the end of the alleyway, the dull roar of a bustling city reaching his ears after what seemed like an eternity of the buzzing in his head. He checked himself, from the matted black hair atop his head to the black combat boots about his feet. No injuries as far as he could tell. He stepped out into the street, completely unfamiliar with where he was. He knew it was some manner of city, and a busy one at that. But the houses looked too... off-kilter for it to be his home. They seemed to lean against each other, curve in and out, some windows larger than others, no conformity. Like some sort of cartoon. It wasn't bad enough to disturb him, but it was strange enough to catch his interest.  
He dazed down the streets, where so many people bustled their way to wherever they were going. Kydran observed that there were no cars, only the streets and the strange houses and shops and the people moving along. He checked his pockets to see if he had any money. No such luck. He had nothing at all.  
Beginning to become aware of his plight, Kydran moved out of the crowd and toward what appeared to be some sort of inn. The smell of cinnamon and coziness drew him. Walking into a cozy place was usually a good place to start, he figured. Better than trying to hit up a complete stranger for information.  
He pushed the door open, and the bells on the handle tinkled softly, alerting the innkeeper to Kydran's entrance. She was a portly woman, weathered, but Kydran could sense no unfriendliness on her face.  
"Well, good day to you, young man! What can I do for you?" spoke she, and Kydran felt mildly apprehensive. He had expected a little less boisterous a greeting.  
"Uhhh... yes, ma'am, I know this is going to sound a little weird..."  
"I doubt it."  
"...right. Um, where is this?"  
"You're in the Inn of Good Fortune, young lad."  
Kydran shook his head, but was unsurprised by this response. He had seen it coming.  
"No, I mean... here. This whole place. This city."  
"Auntie Reifa, why don't you give the poor boy a straight answer? I swear, you do this every time," came a sweet, friendly female voice from up the stairs. Kydran turned to look, but saw nothing but the stairway. He looked back to the innkeeper, who was apparently named Reifa.  
She old woman shook her head, and addressed Kydran. "You're in Traverse City, young man. I can tell you're not from here. Nobody is."  
Reifa laughed at Kydran's puzzled look, and shook her head. "This place is where most people go when their worlds have been destroyed. They live here now, and have made new homes."  
The boy was no more enlightened, but being the sharp fellow he was, furrowed his brow, coming to a conclusion.  
"...so... my world was destroyed?" he said.  
"More than likely. Unlesss you jumped down the wrong rabbit hole, or took a left turn at the wrong star."  
Kydran looked from the woman to the floor, the puzzled look still resting upon his face. He didn't remember going down any rabbit holes. Or taking lefts at any stars. He hadn't even taken any rights at any stars. His ears picked up the sound of soft footsteps coming down the stairway from the second floor, and turned to look. His eyes weren't disappointed.  
It was a young woman, apparently somewhere around Kydran's age, thirteen or fourteen. She was very pretty; fair, unblemished skin, raven locks coming in soft waves, spilling down her back, luscious blue eyes and that look of innocence, a look Kydran had never seen and thus could not recognize, but was nontheless captivated.  
"Have you finished with the linens yet, Pandora? Have the rooms been prepared for our special guests later this evening?" spoke Reifa, who appeared to take as much joy in watching the girl as Kydran did.  
"Yes I have, Aunt Reifa. And our guests will be very pleased with their rooms," came the reply as Pandora stepped briskly past Kydran and through a nearby large door, from within which Kydran could hear laughter and the tinkling of dishes.  
Kydran turned back to Reifa, saying, "...wow. She's your niece? Are her parents around here, too?"  
The old innkeeper eyed him warily, speaking sternly. "Best not be getting any ideas, my young friend. Both her family and the patrons of this inn are more protective of her than they are with their own lives."  
"...uhhh, sorry. I didn't mean anything by it- she's just very pretty," replied the young man, taken slightly aback.  
"Don't mention it. Happens all the time. Anyway, I suppose you need a place to stay? I can't give you a room for free, and I can't give you a nice room, but I can provide you with food and a bed in exchange for labor, if you're so inclined," the innkeep said, still watching him with her benevolent eyes.  
For some reason Kydran couldn't place, the thought didn't bother him at all. I need somewhere to be while I gather my thoughts and figure out what to do, anyway, he reasoned. Why not?  
"Sure. This looks like a fine establishment anyhow," Kydran reponded brightly, tacking on that last bit just for a response. Reifa laughed.  
"Then you'll be staying here. We always need help in the kitchen. Report to Cook. Both he and Pandora can show you the ropes. I run a fine inn, I expect good work of you, young man," she replied, and headed up the stairs, groaning something about her old body not being able to take much more of the stairs.  
  
Kydran moved toward the dining room door, through which he had seen Pandora pass. Within, there were a few people, mostly men, drinking tall glass mugs of some golden fizzy substance and devouring their dinners. A few of them took notice of Kydran, finding it odd that such a scruffy- looking boy was on the way to the kitchen of one of the city's best inns. The young man was suddenly self-conscious; he hadn't really taken a moment to check his attire. His blue jeans, old and faded and tattered, as well as his faded green t-shirt gave the impression of a ragamuffin when paired with the matted, semilong hair sitting atop his head.  
He watched a rather buxom maid pass through the kitchen door, and she flashed him a smile before tending to one of the tables. Kydran walked through that wooden door, and found a rather chaotic scene. A rather portly, very dark-skinned man ran frantically back and forth from oven to stove to washbasin to a frying pot to a roaster and back again. Pandora was stirring at a large pot of soup, and Kydran chuckled inwardly at her choice of dress. She wore a pair of what seemed like nylon tights, and what would have been a skimpy, revealing dress without said tights. A gorgeous, ruffled shirt, which appeared to be made of silk, graced her upper body, and around her neck was some sort of silver chain.  
"I think it needs some more kupo grinds, Cook," she said, taking a taste of the soup. Kydran really hoped she didn't spill any of the thick, dark-looking stuff on that white shirt- it likely would have stained and never come out.  
"We ain't got no more kupo grinds, Pan! Sub in some o' that grayspice. Just a pinch, hun! No no, that's just fine. There we go. Stir it real good, or it'll be too strong!" was the boisterous yet kind voice of Cook, who was still making haste between the range and the ovens.  
Kydran stepped toward Cook, dodging one of the maids, and looked up at the dark-skinned man dressed in a very messy and stained chef's outfit. "Excuse me? Uh, you're Cook, right?"  
"Cook! This soup is great! Our special guests will really be pleased!" came Pan's voice from beside the cookpot.  
"That be a great thing, hun! Now, go tend to the patrons out in the dining room, help Ria out, she's busy as a one-legged chocobo!" replied Cook.  
Cook checked the roast in the oven once more, and in his haste to get to the stove, he ran into a young man, approximately fourteen years old, with matted black hair and dingy-looking clothes.  
"Who'ah you? Get outta here, urchin! Go on! Shoo!" Cook began waving him out, pushing him toward a back door.  
"No, no! I'm Kydran! I-"  
"Ah don't care! Get movin', beggar child!"  
"No, Cook! That's our new help!" cried Pandora, realizing that Kydran was there and what he was doing.  
"But, Miss Pand- oh, darn it, why can't dear ol' Reifa ever tell me 'fore she sends some young ragamuffin into my kitchen! Alright boy, if'n you're help, go an' handle those dishes over there in that basin. Water's already run, just gotta clean an' rinse 'em," hollered Cook, who rushed to the stove, worried about the mushrooms he had frying.  
Kydran, unsure but amused, stepped toward the basin.  
...man, that's a lot of dishes, he thought, surveying the work that he would have to do. He got to clearing the first basin of the dirty dishes.  
Pandora watched the boy, stepping into what she called a 'calm spot', a place in the kitchen where the waitresses and maids and the boisterous Cook didn't usually barrel through. She was intrigued- if the boy was cleaned up, and given some new clothes, he would be very handsome. Where did he come from? thought she, folding her arms. Her heart panged momentarily when she realized that his home world had probably been destroyed.  
Like hers had. Like Reifa's had. Like Cook's had. She sighed, then bobbed and weaved through kitchen supplies and utensils and waitresses and barmaids and Cook, arriving by Kydran's side.  
Kydran was pleasantly surprised to find somebody help him rinsing the large pile of soapy dishes he had cleaned. He was even more pleased to find it was Pandora.  
"Reifa seems to like you. I don't think she's ever hopped to giving somebody a job so quickly before. Then again... it could be because we're short on help!"  
Kydran turned to the girl addressing him, then smiled, cleaning off a plate and setting it in the rinse bin. "This seems like a really nice place. Do you live here in this inn?"  
Pandora nodded. "Yep. I stay here in return for my work."  
"...you mean, you can't leave here?" Kydran said, slightly alarmed.  
"No, no, no. Auntie Reifa's like a mother to me," she replied.  
"She's your aunt, huh? Where do your parents live?"  
Kydran was immediately contrite about the question he had asked. The pained look on Pandora's face indicated to him that she had lost them- or some other tragic event. He looked into the washbin, scraping the residue off of a fork and placing it in the rinse bin. "I'm sorry."  
"Don't mention it... we all have sad pasts. I lost my parents when my world was destroyed by the Heartless," she said softly.  
Heartless? thought Kydran, but decided not to pursue it.  
Kydran shook his head, continuing to clean. "I can't remember my world. Or my parents. I don't know if I have any of them... and right now I don't want to think about it. I just want to put it off for a little bit... maybe tonight I'll have the presence of mind to think about it."  
Pandora was incredulous. "You mean... you just got here?"  
"Yeah. I woke up in an alley not far from here."  
"You don't remember your home? Or your parents or family?"  
"Nope."  
"Wow... lucky you. It's a terrible feeling."  
"I'd bet. So... what's all this talk about 'special guests' coming this evening? The mayor of town or something?"  
"No, the Five are coming. Traverse City doesn't have a mayor."  
"The Five?"  
"Oh yeah! I forgot, you just got here," Pandora said as she picked up a tray of clean dishes and set it on what seemed like a bunch of rollers, and rolled it into a huge machine. The machine ignited and hummed, separating the dishes and placing them in their respective places in the kitchen. Kydran grinned at the sight of it, and then watched her return and continue her explanation.  
"The Five are a set of warriors that keep the loose Heartless around the city under control and at bay. In the abandoned Third District, there's a whole army of Heartless. They seem to be searching for the keyhole, but they won't be able to find it, or even access it at the very least. About a year ago, a boy named Sora came and locked the keyhole, which is a gate to heart of a world. The Heartless won't be able to get into the city's keyhole, and so they won't be able to eat the heart of this world. So Traverse City's basically a haven for everyone."  
Kydran absorbed this new information. Heartless? Keyholes? Hearts of worlds? Maybe his own world was destroyed by these Heartless. He put the thought aside, and listened further.  
"Strangely enough, they won't leave the Third District. But we can't go in, because it's too dangerous, so we ignore that corner of the city. We had to build a new power plant and everything. Anyway, the Five are warriors who stayed from before the Sealing. Their names are Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, Cloud, and Dyne. They destroy any Heartless that escape, and keep constant watch over the Third District. They're coming tonight, and we're holding a celebration in their honor."  
The boy was listening intently, and through the whole story, and finished the bin of dishes, even as new dishes had come in. He turned to her and smiled, nodding as she finished, and turned to watch Cook, who was putting the finishing touches on what looked like a grand feast. Turkey, a huge roast, huge bowls of side dishes and countless biscuits. The smell of them was getting to Kydran, and for the first time he realized he was very, very hungry.  
Kydran dried his hands and stepped over to Cook, looking up at him, and spoke a little more loudly.  
"Cook, what do I do now? All the dishes are cleared up."  
The chef looked to Kydran, unbelieving. He then looked to the empty washbins and the draining boards, then looked very pleasantly surprised. "By golly, boy, you do dishes faster'n even Pandora can whip through 'em. Well, I can't very well send you out in public with those clothes. Go talk to Reifa, tell her Cook says you did a real bang-up job. She should give you some clothes and show you your room. Then come back, our guests should be here by then. Now go on, boy! Hurry!"  
Kydran grinned from ear to ear, happy to hear the praise in Cook's voice. He turned and slipped out of the kitchen and toward the front desk. Upon arriving there, he realized Reifa was nowhere to be found- and so he jogged up the stairs.  
The second floor consisted of a single, curved hallway, marked with doors that led into similar cozy rooms. The boy spotted Reifa, who was coming out of one of the rooms. She turned and locked it, and began down the hall. He stopped abruptly, startled by Kydran.  
"Oh! Kydran! Aren't you supposed to be helping Cook?" Her expression went from surprise to irritation in almost a heartbeat.  
"I finished all my work. He told me to tell you I did a good job, and that I need some new clothes so I can... well, go out in public."  
"I see. Well, I don't have any boy clothes here," Reifa said, beginning to dig through her apron. "Here, here's some munny. And the key to your room- the room number is on the key. Go buy yourself a nice outfit. I'll send Pandora with you, she knows where the clothes shop is. Very well, in fact. Go find her and hurry, our special guests are almost here."  
"The Five?"  
"You bet. Now hurry along!"  
Kydran jogged back down to the kitchen, trying to avoid notice by the patrons of the inn. Upon finding Pandora, he gave her the instructions and the two went out the back door, through the alley, and out into the bustling streets.  
  
Kydran and Pandora walked together, and the boy noticed that the traffic in the streets was subsiding. The streetlamps were lit, and Kydran was thankful for that. He simply looked at the ground as they walked, forcing himself not to think about anything at the time.  
"So, uh, Kydran... what do you enjoy doing? Like, what kind of hobbies?" Pandora asked finally, breaking the mutual silence between them.  
"I don't know. At least, I can't remember any of them. I'm trying not to think about that right now."  
"Oh... sorry," Pandora said quietly, feeling mildly dejected.  
"I'm sorry, Pandora."  
"You can call me Pan."  
"Alright, Pan. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or snap at you. I'm just... really confused. This is all very new to me. I've never seen this place before, I don't know where I've been. All I can really do is trust in you, and trust in Reifa. Then I can figure out what I'm going to do..."  
Pandora nodded, remaining quiet. Through the crowd, the soft lights of Altair Tailoring Shop were coming into view.  
As they approached the threshold, Pandora lit up, and piped, "Wow, that necklace is really cool, Kydran. Where'd you get it?"  
Kydran stopped at the door, turned and looked at her, and raised his eyebrow.  
"Huh? What necklace?"  
"The one around your neck, silly!"  
Kydran instinctively reached up around his neck, and felt the cold touch of metal. He followed the necklace down into his shirt, and pulled of a silvery pendant. He hadn't even noticed the weight of it around his neck before. Kydran inspected the pendant.  
The thick silver object was rather small, only about six square centimeters, but it was very elegantly crafted. Kydran felt it to be solid silver in the shape of a gilded heart, upon which was emblazoned a small lock. Two golden vines crept from the sides of the lock, encompassing the hearts in an almost impossibly intricate matter. Three silver spines jutted from the top of the heart, and the symbolism of the pendant and the keychain puzzled him. He hadn't even known where he had gotten it.  
Pandora giggled, and said, "You know, Kydran, you are one of the most interesting fellows I've ever met."  
"I'm beginning to think so, too," he replied incredulously. He pulled the door to the tailor shop open, and stepped inside.  
The warmth of the shop was a relief from the chill of the night air outside. Pandora sweetly called a hello into the shop, and they were greeted by a rather spindly, yet fair, woman dressed in a beautiful red gown. She introduced herself to Kydran as Camille, and Kydran smiled to her in return.  
"My, we have a rather raggedy young man in our midst, Miss Pandora! And a rather handsome one, if we could clean him up a bit," cooed Camille, and Pandora giggled.  
"He's a cute one, all right, but a cute one that needs clothes," said Pandora in return, and Kydran felt himself blushing.  
"Yeah, I'd like to get out of these dingy old clothes. I'm working for Madam Reifa now, so I should look my best."  
Camille laughed, and took Kydran by the wrist, leading him toward a few racks of clothing. "We have the best selection in the City! And these new threads will be easy on your pocket-threads, I would say."  
Kydran nodded, and began to sift through the clothing. He found an outfit that he liked- a pair of baggy black pants, with several belts tied and untied all over the legs, a black, short-sleeved shirt with sleeves that opened into large bells, and a sharp-looking black vest with a high collar and a deep blue lining. Kydran stepped into a dressing room, climbed into the new clothing, and found it to his liking.  
He emerged from the dressing room to the cheers of both Pandora and Camille. Pandora, armed with a brush, took to Kydran's hair ("We'll worry about washing it after tonight, but we can't have the Five looking at that scruffy hair, now can we?" smiled Pandora). Not long after, Kydran sported a rather debonair hairstyle, bangs falling softly over his eyes and the rest of the ebon hair brushed to the back of his head. He looked rather striking now- his soft, pale features seemed to match the black outfit, and the brushing of his unkempt hair did the trick.  
Pandora seemed to dance over to him, took his arm, and made toward the door. Pan, who had slipped the munny out of Kydran's old pants, had given it to Camille in advance- and so the two were free to leave. Camille waved them goodbye, and the two stepped down the street happily, arms looped together, smiles on their faces.  
  
When the two arrived back at the inn, Reifa greeted them at the front door, ushering them into the building. Kydran took note he was being eyed carefully by the old innkeep, but simply smiled goodnaturedly in return. After all, he meant no harm to anyone, much less Pandora.  
Pan unlooper her arm from Kydran's and made made her way up the stairs. Reifa instructed Kydran to wait in the foyer while everyone prepared for the Five's arrival. The young man was happy to do so, and found himself a wall upon which to lean until all was prepared.  
He was surprised to find it didn't take long. The buzz of excitement was already in the air. The maids, Cook, Reifa, Pandora, and the other staff of the inn had all returned to the foyer, each dressed in spotless clothing denoting their station. Kydran was the only one who looked somewhat out of place; he was wearing sharp attire, but looking at him, it was impossible to tell if he was a cook, waiter, or if he even worked in the inn at all.  
The staff of the inn each lined up, Reifa dressed in a very fine- looking green dress. The old woman opened the doors, to the cheers of the people of Traverse City. Down a red carpet (Kydran hadn't noticed its presence before) came five very formidable-looking warriors... well, three formidable and two very pretty. There were two men and one male much younger than the others, each wearing tuxedoes. One of the two female fighters was dressed in a breathtaking pink gown, the other dressed much more casually than the other, donning a pair of black jeans and a rather revealing white shirt.  
One of the men led the way. This man sported semilong brown hair and a gruff demeanor. His gray eyes reflected the soft lighting of the inn, as did the silver chain about his neck- which reminded Kydran of his own chain. The man had a large scar running across his face, over the bridge of his nose- it gave him a rather stylish look, and it was obvious to Kydran that he had been in combat before.  
The man that followed gave no visible notation of his mood. Blonde hair, spiked in a manner that Kydran had never seen before, jutted from atop his head. The boy that followed behind him was the fighter that really caught Kydran's attention. He seemed vaguely familiar; Kydran dredged through his foggy memories for any recollection of the boy, but could find none. Nontheless, the bright crimson hair and the happy expression on his face stirred something within him.  
The fighters entered the dining room through the foyer, into the transformed banquet hall. All of the workers of the Inn of Good Fortune bowed, and Kydran followed suit. As the gray-eyed man passed, his eyes met Kydran's, and Kydran felt suddenly alert, drawn. The moment was gone in an instant, but the young man could not shake the feeling that he had revealed something to the man, or that the man had read him like an open book.  
"His name is Leon. He's sort of the leader of them all," whispered Pandora, from Kydran's side. "The man with spiky hair is Cloud. The boy is Dyne. Lady with the gown is Aerith, and the teenage girl with the green headband is Yuffie."  
Kydran nodded, and spoke, spoftly, "How long are they going to stay?"  
"A week," replied Pandora.  
"Ah, alright. Thanks," he said, and Reifa came up to the two of them.  
"The two of you need to attend the kitchen. Help our ladies out, it's gonna be a long evening," said Reifa, and the two nodded and headed off in that direction.  
It had, indeed, been a long night. The Five were not the only guests; on top of them, there were other freelance fighters and many admirers in the building, eating from the feast that Cook had prepared. The inn received nothing but good remarks from the gathering, and by the end of the night, when the guests had left and the Five had announced their departure to bed, Kydran hurried to finish his dishes. He looked forward to some time alone, to think.  
As the kitchen closed down, Kydran walked out into the foyer, sighing in exhaustion. Pandora had already gone to bed- as had Reifa. Now only a couple of maids stayed at the front desk for the night shift; they blew kisses at the boy, and he grinned, his face flushing a light pink.  
Kydran carried himself up the stairs, and was startled to find Lean leaning against the right wall, apparently in thought. Kydran quieted his steps, and made his way past, trying not to disturb the hero.  
"Hold on one second."  
The young man froze, and turned to face his addresser. Leon had spoken to him! What could he want? wondered Kydran. He maintained his composure.  
"Yes?"  
"Your name is Kydran, isn't it?" asked Leon.  
Kydran nodded in return. "Yeah. How did you know?"  
"I heard the young lady, Pandora, talking to you," he replied.  
"Oh. Well, uh, what did you need? Did you enjoy your dinner?"  
"It was fine. But I want to know where you came from. You look familiar."  
Kydran shook his head. "I... just got here. I don't remember where I'm from."  
"You look like someone I know."  
"I... uh, don't know what to tell you. I don't think I've ever met you before."  
The man turned, looked at him, and his eyes narrowed. Kydran felt a twinge of fear, not exactly liking te look he was being given.  
"Forget it," said Leon.  
"Ummmm..."  
"What do you want? I said forget it."  
Kydran shook his head. Leon didn't appear to be very friendly; holding a deep conversation was out of the question. But what he was about to ask had been nagging at him since Pandora had spoken with him, so he felt compelled to speak.  
"What are the Heartless doing here? They don't have hearts, and they steal and destroy other people's hearts, I gathered that much. But Pandora said a boy locked the keyhole... and they won't leave the Third District. Why?"  
"I don't know," responded Leon softly. "I really don't. We've been racking our brains on that one for a while."  
Then, with a thoughtful tone that contradicted his appearance, Leon said, "Would you like to see the Heartless? I can talk Reifa into letting you come with us... if you're up for it."  
Kydran simply stood, thinking to himself. Do I want to see the Heartless? These things that destroy and cause misery? Well... if they destroyed my world... maybe if I see them, I'll remember something.  
"You don't have to give me an answer now. Think about it," Leon said, coolly.  
"I'll do that."  
"Good night," said the fighter, and he opened the door nearest him and left Kydran standing there, speechless.  
If you can't think of anything to say, it's best to say nothing, the young man thought, though he couldn't recollect where he had heard such words of wisdom. He turned down the hall, and made his way toward the room Reifa had assigned him. He pulled the key from his pocket, unlocked the door, and entered.  
It wasn't a very big room; it had barely enough space for himself, the bed, and the bedside table-bureau with the lamp on it. Kydran shrugged, removing his vest and shirt, folding them neatly and laying them on the foot of his bed. He then removed the pants, laying them on top of the shirt and vest, and crawled into the neatly-made bed.  
He rolled onto his side, and instinctively wrapped a hand around the small silver pendant.  
  
I wake up in an alley. I get a job. I learn that creatures called Heartless can steal people's hearts and destroy worlds. I get new clothes and a new friend. I suddenly have this chain and a cool-looking pendant... a fighter named Leon offers to let me see them... none of this makes sense. I feel like tyhis is where I belong... I want to remember where I was, who I used to be, but things seem nice right now... maybe it would be better if I didn't.  
But it still bothers me.  
I can try to remember... try to force my mind to dredge up some kind of memory. Anything from before today. If I can remember how to talk, if I can function like a normal person... I have to have some kind of memory...  
  
Kydran was very cold. He wrapped his arms around his legs, placing his head on his knees. His breath was visible. He looked around him. The room was empty. It was his own room. The one window was broken, boarded up. Snow fell softly outside, but he could find no warmth or happiness in the beautiful weather. He felt terrified. He felt hungry. He was freezing.  
His green eyes moved to the doorway, where he thought he had heard something. Deep within him welled a feeling of horror, a feeling that told him not to be where he was because something terrible was going to come through the door.  
He could hear the baby crying in the other room. He could hear a woman- his mother, maybe- cooing to the newborn, who was just as cold and hungry as Kydran was.  
He heard the front door slam. A man was shouting loudly, angrily, but Kydran could notmake out the words.  
Kydran woke up. 


	2. Chapter 2

Kingdom Hearts: The Darkheart Crystal  
  
Chapter 2 In which our Hero, Kydran, becomes aware of the threat to all worlds.  
  
That night had been a fitful one. Kydran was completely inable to fall asleep for any length of time; when he did, he was haunted by terrible dreams, or memories, and it was getting bad enough that he couldn't tell the difference between the two.  
Pandora was the one to give him the wake-up call. She had knocked on the door, loudly, but it was unnecessary. He was already awake. He threw his feet over the side of his bed, careful not to knock them against the wall, and sat up, yawning. His stomach growled. He hadn't realized how hungry he was; he couldn't remember the last time he ate. He knew he hadn't eaten the night before.  
Kydran got up and put on his new clothes, eyeing the silver pendant around his neck again, trying to dredge up some sort of familiarity, but could not do so. He stepped out into the hall, nearly running into one of the maids. She apologized, and Kydran apologized in return, and the both of them continued about their business.  
The boy jogged down the stairs, toward the kitchen. He aimed to ask Reifa if he could get some food. He found her at the front desk, speaking with a pair of ragged-looking travelers. She handed them the key to their room, and turned to Kydran. She gave him a broad smile, and laughed heartily.  
"It's about time you got up, boy! This inn doesn't run on sleepyheads!" she laughed.  
"I had a long night."  
"We all did, Kydran, we all did. Now, I can tell something about you- you're hungry. I know it. Cook already has breakfast on its way. Then I need you to follow Pandora to the laundries- she'll show you the ropes," Reifa instructed the young man, and Kydran nodded in return.  
"Oh, and Kydran," she said as he went on his way.  
"Yes, ma'am?" he said, turning to look at her.  
"The Heartless are mindless, frightening creatures. There is no mercy in them. Leon has requested that you be able to go with him when you wish to go. I will allow this, but I want you to know, it is never a kind experience."  
Kydran simply stood for a moment, quiet. Then he returned with a lopsided smile and nodded. "I figured as much. But, thank you for your permission and for your warning, Reifa." And then he walked into the dining room.  
The inn was not very busy at that hour. It was too early for the guests to get up, but just late enough for the staff to have finished breakfast. They appeared to be eating some sort of thick, sweet spiced stew and plenty of bread. The smell of it was making Kydran's hunger pangs even worse. He hustled into the kitchen, where Cook was already putting on the breakfast for the guests.  
"Good morning, Cook!" piped Kydran, pleased to see the jolly (if not just plain loud) chef of the Inn of Good Fortune.  
"Mornin', young Kydran. Ah belive you slept well, yeah?" asked the chef.  
"I slept alright," replied Kydran, which was a bald-faced lie.  
"You don' look it. Here, have some breffust," spoke Cook, thrusting a tray at Kydran. Upon the tray was a bowl of the sweet-smelling breakfast stew and a few pieces of toast. Kydran took a glass down, filled it with water, and took himself and his tray to the dining room. Finding a seat, the boy sat down and proceeded to devour his meal heartily.  
The stew, Kydran deduced, was a sort of sweet meat stew. There was beef, and some chicken, along with some corn and carrots, all mixed together in a sweet, cinnamon-spiced dish. The toast itself was a treat; multi-grained and very delicious. Kydran looked across the rooms, to the windows, and was surprised to find it was still dusk outside. The same with the evening before; the sky was not pitch-dark, nor was it now. But he had a distinct feeling that there was no sun around Traverse City.  
He was surprised, again, by Pandora's presence. The boy had busied himself in eating his stew, and looked up to find the girl looking at him with a funny grin on her face.  
"What?" he asked.  
"Nothing. Is the stew good?"  
"Yeah."  
"I figured. Your face was buried in it," she giggled. She was just smiling at him, shaking her head, watching him. Kydran felt a little unnerved by her deep blue eyes. He felt unused to being watched.  
"Is there something I can help you with?" he asked.  
"I'm waiting for you to finish your breafkast, slowpoke. We need to hit the laundries today. Auntie Reifa told me to show you the ropes."  
Kydran's face flushed a hue of pink, and he nodded and inhaled the remained of the stew, toast and water. He chastised himself for being so nervous and wary, then stood and took his dishes to the kitchen. Upon return, Pandora was waiting for him. Since he could see more of her, he noted she was dressed in a far more mundane set of clothes than the previous night, now wearing a smaller version of what the maids wore. She guided him out the door and the two walked through the night air.  
"Pandora, does the sun ever rise here?" Kydran posed to her, noticing that it was a little warmer than he remembered it.  
"Traverse City doesn't have a sun. It really is strange, especially because the temperature changes, but the only light we get from the sky is from other worlds, she answered, turning down another street. Kydran jogged to keep up.  
"You mean the stars?"  
"They're other worlds. Every time one blinks out, that means the Heartless have consumed a world, and it's destroyed. It's really sad. Traverse City never used to be this big, but the stars are blinking out faster than they ever did, at least that's what Leon told me."  
"You spoke to Leon?"  
Pandora turned another corner, and ahead, Kydran could see a large building, from the top of which spouted huge chimneys which sprayed gouts of steam. He yawned, listening to the girl.  
"More like Leon spoke to me. It wasn't a long conversation, and I'm not sure what the point of it was. He asked me a couple of questions about you," she said, dodging a moogle.  
"Like what?"  
"I dunno. Who you are, where you're from."  
"What did you tell him?"  
Pandora giggled. "Everything I know. Which is... nothing!"  
The two finally arrived at the Laundries, as was evident to Kydran by the sign hanging over the door which read "Traverse City Laundries". Pandora and Kydran entered, and were met with a blast of muggy heat that Kydran regretted he would be working in.  
The Laundries was a huge building, despite the cramped appearance outside. Several vats of boiling water stood in a row along one side of the wall, and the loud hum of a massive fan came from another room. A single rack looped up and down and around from place to place in the Laundries, carrying on it wet sheets and clothing and dried ones as well.  
"We'll be handling sheets today. It's not a very difficult job," said Pandora, leading him to one of the vats, beside which was a ladder and above which was a sign that read, "Good Fortune Laundry". She directed him up the ladder, and he looked down into the boiling water, shaking his head. She handed him a huge, rake-like stick, and instructed him.  
"Look, here's one for you to clean!" she called, pointing to a large, dirty sheet that was rolling down the rack toward him. "Grab it with the stick and shove it under the water. Swish it around for a little while. After about five minutes. take the sheet out and hang it, with the stick. I'll be working in that vat-" she pointed to a nearby vat, "-so don't worry too much."  
Kydran noticed that all the vats were marked. Some belonged to other inns, some belonged to laundry companies. The young man shook his head, and proceeded to work.  
It was a long day for him. Kydran was sweaty and uncomfortable, even his his fine new clothing, and the hard work and steam was making him very hungry and thirsty by the time lunch rolled around. His lunch consisted of a nice, big sandwich put together by Cook, as well was a small bag of chips from a nearby snack shop.  
By the end of the day, Kydran felt as though he had washed a million different sheets, though he had cleaned more than sheets. The maids' clothing, guest clothing, a couple mattresses, and other odds and ends had made their way through Kydran's vat. When Reifa had come to tell Kydran and Pandora that they were relieved of their duties, Kydran tenderly made his way down from the ladder. His back was sore, his arms were tired, and his legs were sick of standing. Pandora didn't seem to be having any problems at all, which astounded the young man.  
Reifa told them that they were off for the rest of the evening. Kydran was intstructed to go out on the town, to check things out and explore. Pandora said she would have gone with him, but Camille always needed help with the tailor shop, and Pandora was eager to amass a little extra munny.  
So Kydran walked through the streets, which weren't too busy, and eyed the shops here and there. He wasn't hungry, and it would be a couple hours before Cook put dinner on. He had plenty of time. He stepped into a couple shops, looking at the goods and having fun pretending he had the munny enough to buy the finest products in the stores.  
He weaved through streets and allies, for some reason unafraid of being attacked. It just didn't seem like that sort of town. He followed one street to its very end, coming to the gate of the Second District. He peered through, not particularly interested in going in, and took note that the Second District was mostly all housing, while the First District was almost all businesses. He turned away from the gate, and jumped in surprise, running into Leon.  
The warrior was out of the tuxedo and into his normal attire- black pants, white t-shirt, a short-sleeved over-jacket with red wings sewn onto the sleeves and numerous belts around his waist, a couple on his arms and a few on his legs. Kydran figured the belts provided some sort of protection, but he looked threatening nontheless.  
Kydran also notice the large weapon that Leon carried in his right hand. The blade rested on his shoulder, and Kydran was surprised to find that hilt of the weapon was not a simple handle, but instead a modified (and large) gun handle. Leon's weapon was some sort of hybrid between a gun and a sword- it appeared very difficult to use, but also very intimidating.  
"Aren't you supposed to be at the inn?" Leon asked quietly.  
Kydran shook his head in response. "Reifa let me off for a couple hours. She wanted me to look at the city."  
"I see. Do you think you have time to come with me to the Third District?"  
Kydran thought for a moment. He would have liked to see more of the city, but the thought of intruding upon his work time for Reifa to see the Heartless seemed ungrateful to him. He looked up at Leon, and nodded. "Sure."  
"Let's go, then," said the warrior, and he turned and began walking in the opposite direction of the gate.  
The young man found that Leon wasn't at all a conversationalist. He was silent almost the entire way there, except when telling Kydran to keep up.  
The two arrived finally at a huge, boarded-up gate. Above the gate hung a tattered banner that Kydran could barely read, and upon was written "Third District". Kydran looked to Leon, wondering how the two were going to get in. Each District was separated by huge walls, and climbing them seemed mind-boggling to the boy. But Leon knew ways to get in; it was his job. He reached over to Kydran, picked him up with one hand by the back of the collar, and hurled him onto a rooftop. Kydran shouted in fear and surprise, and landed on his face on the top of the roof.  
Leon landed neatly beside him. Kydran picked himself up, amazed at the strength of the warrior, who was now leading him along the rooftops. They came upon a ladder that was braced between the rooftop and the top of the wall. Leon climbed, and Kydran followed suit.  
Leon stood on the thick wall and helped Kydran up. The boy found a way to balance, and looked down into the Third District.  
What he saw chilled him.  
The District was ransacked and decrepit. The cobblestone ground was broken and cratered. Windows belonging to old shops were shattered, doors were busted in, the buildings were falling apart. But it wasn't the signs of the Third District's ruin that frightened him- it was the little beings that crawled along the ground, sinking into darkness and reappearing, as if stalking something they couldn't see but knew was there.  
"Those are Shadows. They're the smallest and one of the least powerful of the Heartless, but they're still dangerous," spoke Leon.  
Kydran couldn't say anything. They looked humanoid, but were only about the size of large dogs. Wiry, zigzagging antennae extended from their head. Their bodies were solid black, and two glowing yellow eyes shined out from their faces, giving them a haunting look. They had no mouths or noses or ears, and their little arms extended into sharp claws.  
Kydran watched them, disturbed by their appearance. They acted like crickets, moving sporadically and with a tenacious gait. Something stirred within Kydran's mind, something very unpleasant. For an instant, he wanted nothing more than to leap off the wall and destroy every single one of the little monsters.  
"These creatures are devoid of their hearts. They are created from the Darkness in people's hearts- and there's Darkness in every heart. When the heart isn't strong enough to resist the Darkness, the Darkness consumed it and turns into a Heartless. The Heartless are the Darkness's weapons," Leon said softly, and Kydran shook his head, not wanting to believe such things were real.  
"But I can sense no Darkness in your heart. Nor can I find it in the girl's heart, either," he continued, and the boy looked to him. Kydran assumed he was referring to Pandora.  
"No Darkness? You can sense the Darkness in people's hearts?"  
"It's an acquired ability. Sensing a lack of Darkness is very easy, however; it's just impossible to find."  
The young man was now thinking, hard. No Darkness whatsoever. What could that mean? He didn't even know what Darkness was, but if it could spawn the monsters creeping about the Third District, he was sure he didn't want any of it.  
"So why did you bring me here?"  
"To see how you would react. To see how the Heartless would react. But I don't think they see you yet."  
"Oh," replied the boy, and he folded his arms across his chest. "Well, thanks a lot, I guess."  
"We're not done yet."  
Leon grabbed Kydran by the scruff of the collar and lifted him off his feet. Then he tossed Kydran onto one of the decrepit buildings' rooftops. Kydran hit the roof, hard, and then began to roll off of it. He fell through a hole in the roof, however, and dropped onto the ground. Sputtering and coughing, he picked himself up, disoriented.  
The warrior hopped down from his place and landed deftly on the same roof. He readied his weapon, prepared to defend Kydran's life, unsure of how the Heartless would react.  
The boy looked around. The room was completely dark, though he could make out broken chairs and tables and glass and tattered rags and trash everywhere. He peered further into the darkness, and found that the door to the building was boarded up. He had no idea how to get out.  
But he would have to find a way. After a few moments, little yellow pairs of eyes peeked out of the shadows, followed by even more eyes. Kydran could make out six pairs. And out of the shadows crept the little Heartless Shadows, hopping about, beginning to dance around him as if they had found some sort of treasure in their prey.  
They encircled him. Kydran's heart began to pound. Why had Leon thrown him down here, to be eaten by those... creatures? How was he going to survive? What was going to happen to him? He couldn't come up with the answer before they attacked him.  
One of the Shadows leapt at Kydran, claw raised. Kydran slipped under it, rolling out of harm's way, only to be assaulted by two other Heartless. Leon dropped through the hole in the roof, brandishing his weapon, and as he landed he sliced one of the creatures in two. The monster burst into a cloud of Darkness, and vanished.  
Leon grabbed Kydran (which the boy was getting a little sick of) and threw him back out through the roof-hole, swatted away a couple more of the Heartless, and followed Kydran through the roof. he found Kydran laying on his back, his breath coming in deep heaves.  
"You alright, kid?" Leon said, thrusting the gun-sword through the roof and squatting down to check Kydran for wounds. Finding none, and getting no response from the young man, he shook his head and stood back up. He looked out on the Third District. More of the Heartless were migrating toward the building upon which they stood- and it wasn't just Shadows anymore.  
Large, orb-like monsters also followed, with gaping fanged mouths and the same glowing yellow Heartless eyes. Two small arms protruded from their sides. They flew through the air, accompanied also by what looked like little armored humanoids with Heartless faces and the same vicious claws.  
Leon shook his head in disbelief. "It's as if they sense the same thing I do. What draws them most is a lack of Darkness in somebody's heart. I guess it's... tastier to them. Get up, we need to run, now. I can't fend them all off on my own."  
Kydran shook off the disorientation and stood. He turned to the wall separating the Third and First Districts, and sighed. "You're going to throw me again, aren't you?" asked the boy.  
"Yeah, I am. Get over it," Leon replied, and he tossed Kydran over the wall. He heard a muffled crash on the other side, and scaled the wall as quickly as he could. Skilled as he was, the Heartless were still dangerous.  
Leon reached the top of the wall, turned, and looked down. He had never seen so many Heartless gathered in one place. It was like watching masses of black ants gather in one spot- where Kydran had been. He shook his head once more, wondering how it would sound to the other fighters, and dropped off the roof and onto a shopkeeper's canvas sunshade. Bouncing off the shade, he landed, placed his weapon in his belt, and looked around for Kydran. He was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Kydran reached the inn, huffing with exhaustion. He had no desire to go back to the Third District, nor had he any intention of being thrown by Leon again for any reason. His heart was still pounding from the fear of being surrounded, and he recalled those last few moments with painful clarity. What was that all about? Did Leon really expect such dangerous creatures not to attack?  
Calming himself, he pushed open the door to the inn to find it thick with movement. Some guests were leaving, maids were weaving in and out of doors and from between people, Reifa was very busy at the front desk. Maybe if he did some work, he could forget about what had just happened. He didn't feel hungry or thirsty, either, which was odd.  
So Kydran spent most of that evening (it was always evening there, but the air had cooled) washing dishes and making beds for the guests and cleaning up the dining room tables. He thought it odd that Pandora was nowhere to be seen, but he remembered that she was working for Camille.  
He realized then what an awful amount of courage it must take for the Five to continue to combat the Heartless. Even after their own worlds had been destroyed by those monsters.  
After the dinner rush, Reifa came to Kydran and asked him about his trip to the Third District. Kydran responded with an "I don't want to talk about it", and Reifa didn't press the issue.  
"Well, you don't have to tell me, but I have an open ear. Now do me a favor and go fetch Pandora from Camille's shop. It's time we got her to work for us again," Reifa instructed, and Kydran nodded in response.  
He exited the building and stepped into the cool night air, keeping a watchful eye out for Leon. The last thing he really wanted to do was talk to him. He continued to think about what he had seen. Heartless must not gather in such a large quantity, he postulated, because Leon was surprised by the number of them. The young man also assumed that, while they were easily provoked, they didn't attack so quickly unless they found something they wanted.  
Kydran had almost hoped that his 'adventure' in the Third District had had something to do with the fact that he looked familiar to Leon. And why was that, anyway? Upon second thoughts, however, Kydran realized that he may have, indeed, come across Leon before. But he wasn't able to remember it, just like he wasn't able to remember anything about his past except being cold and hungry and afraid.  
Camille's tailor shop came into view, but Kydran was surprised to find that the lights were not on. He upped the tempo of his gait, and reached the front door at a jog. He wrapped his fingers around the door- handle and turned. The door was locked. He looked in through the window, and could make out fallen clothes racks. Alarmed, he ran to the end of the block, found the alleyway, and ran as fast as he could to the back door of the shop.  
He pulled it open, finding that the handle had been broken, and rushed in. He found that the place had been pillaged. Kydran called out Camille and Pandora's names, but got no response. He darted through the shop, looking for a sign of their whereabouts. The young man found none, so he turned and left the shop, wracking his brain for their possible whereabouts, but came up with nothing.  
He ran back out of the alleyway. He peered through the darkness, looking for the both of them, and again, nothing. He left the alley, went back out into the streets, and found anarchy everywhere. The people of the city were stampeding, as if trying to escape from something, and found the source of all the commotion.  
Small black figures with glowing yellow eyes were attacking the people, along with a multitude of other strange Heartless Kydran hadn't seen in the Third District. Some huge, fat, armored Heartless, other Heartless with wings and ragged clothing, and even Heartless that were dressed in robed and huge wizard-hats that were firing bolts of fire and thunder and lightning at the citizens of Traverse City.  
Kydran stood, frozen, in his place, watching in horror as men and women were brought down and their hearts bursting out of their chests, disappearing into the air, and their bodies replaced with Shadows or the small, armored Heartless. He fought to regain control of himself, just in time to avoid being tackled by one of the Shadows, and he ran out amidst the confusion.  
He weaved in and out of panicking people, dodging slashes from the Heartless and looking for any familiar faces. He found one. Leon was skillfully cutting a small group of Shadows appart, while trying to defend some of the people from the monsters' vicious attacks. Unsure of whaty to do, he ran toward the warrior, crying out for help.  
Leon dispatched another Shadow and brought Kydran to his side, shouting above the screams of terror, "I don't know what's going on, but you need to find someplace safe to be! Get back to the inn, Aerith and Dyne are there defending it!"  
"Where's Pandora?!" Kydran asked, loudly, and Leon shook his head. "I don't kn-," Leon yelled, interrupted by a blast of fire, which he narrowly avoided. "I don't know, we'll try to find her. Go! Now!"  
Kydran didn't want to move, but the force of Leon's words compelled him otherwise. He ran toward the inn, his heart pounding. Pandora was lost amidst the chaos. She could have already been dead. Now he had to run away? Back to the inn?  
He kept trying to convince himself to go back to the inn, but could not. All the Heartless were originating from the Third District, they must have all come from there. Despite his convictions, the inn was in sight, and he realized he would need a weapon to defend himself with. He could find something, and then go out and look for the girl.  
He rushed into the inn, where a brown-haired woman in a long pink dress, Aerith, was firing blast after blast of ice and thunder at the intruding monsters. Dyne, the crimson-haired young man, was also fighting tenaciously, wielding a pair of disk-like weapons, one in each hand. The guests and retreated up the stairs, while Reifa stood in the foyer with a large mace, fending off numerous attackers.  
"Reifa! I can't find Pandora!" called Kydran as he entered, diving to avoid a blast of cold magic from Aerith. "It's pure chaos out there!"  
"Run away, Kydran! Get up the stairs!" Reifa shouted, still fighting for her life. She didn't seem to hear what Kydran had said.  
The young man decided not to pursue it, but refused to run up the stairs. He had to find a weapon. So he ran full-tilt into the dining room, then into the kitchen to find himself a knife or any other armament. Locating a large chef's knife, he ran out the back door the of the inn, to be assaulted by one of the helmeted, armored Heartless. As the thing dove for him, he drove a foot into its chest, knocking it back. He realized he would quickly be surrounded, and retreated from the alleyway back into the fray.  
He made a mad dash for the Third District, hoping maybe the Heartless had taken Pandora there. He thrust and slashed with his knife to get through a few of the Shadows that were in his way and attacking him, but made haste toward the broken-down District.  
Already having decided upon the quickest route into the district (while he fought off Heartless and searched for Pandora's face in the crowd), he reached the huge wall separating the Districts, and looked up. Flying Heartless were sailing over the wall, and he realized scaling it was not the best idea. But his problem was solved for him when Cloud, dressed in combat clothing and bearing a massive sword that was at least as big as the fighter himself, approached the door.  
"Move. She's in there, I saw them take her and her friend," spoke Cloud in a normal speaking tone, which Kydran was barely able to hear over the panic of the crowd.  
Cloud braced himself, then lunged forward with the gargantuan sword he wielded and busted through the old boards and thick wooden door of the Third District. The fighter then led the way through the door, and the both of them hadn't expected it to be so easy. There were not many of the Heartless in the way, and Kydran figured that most of them were already in the city.  
In the great courtyard of the Third District, before the giant bell tower, stood Pandora and Camille. Pandora embraced Camille tightly, in fear, and then saw Cloud and Kydran approaching. The girl cheered at the prospect of being rescued. But as they approached, Kydran realized that the Heartless were not as mindless as he had originally assumed.  
Heartless began to materialize all about them, some rising from the ground and some bursting out of clouds of Darkness. Cloud readied himself while Kydran rushed to Pandora and Camille's side.  
"We have to get you out of here! It's not safe!" Kydran told the both of them, and it didn't take two commands to get them moving. The three made a beeline for the First District, while Cloud attacked the Heartless with a strength Kydran had no idea could exist.  
But the Heartless were pouring in through their exit way. They were quickly trapped in the Third District, and while Cloud was doing all he could to keep the monsters at bay, Kydran and Pandora and Camille were surrounded. The Shadows encircled them. Cloud backed up and found his way to the side of the other three.  
The ground began to tremble and shake. Kydran nearly lost his footing, but stabilized as the quaking began to get worse. A fierce wind ripped through the Third District. Pandora's spine chilled.  
The world they were standing in was about to be destroyed.  
The Heartless did not attack them yet, but bounced sporadically and watched them all with their merciless yellow eyes. Pandora looked about, trying to find an exit, and gasped in shock and fear. She pointed toward the sky and cried, "Look!"  
In the air, high above them, a massive black emptiness was forming. Kydran looked at it, amazed. It resembled a rip. As if the fabric of the skies was ripped in the middle. Pandora's heart pounded. This was not what it looked like when a world was destroyed. This rift was not like the huge sphere of Darkness that formed when a world's heart had been swallowed.  
Out of the abyssal tear in the sky flowed a countless number of black dots, which, as they fell, turned out to be even more Heartless than Kydran could comprehend. But it wasn't just black dots that fell from the sky. Out of the rip came two bright, shining discs, one of which appeared black and crimson, whereas the other was a sparkling silver. The two discs descended far faster than the Heartless were, as if they were spit out at them.  
The discs came closer and closer until Kydran realized where they were going to land. He leapt back, grabbing Pandora out of the way of the silver disc.  
The two discs hit the ground before both Kydran and Pandora, narrowly missing Camille. Kydran was amazed when he realized what they were.  
Weapons. The two discs appeared to be weapons. They were swords of some sort, the tips of which were buried in the cobblestone floor of the courtyard. One of the blades was made of an ebony steel, and the hilt of it was a bright red. The handle was wrapped in black leather, and out of the flat, cylindrical pommel came a chain. At the end of this chain hung a small silver pendant. The pendant was identical to the one Kydran wore around his neck.  
The other blade was very intricate, and also seemed to be made of black steel, but the blade seemed intricately encased, at parts, in an ivory coating, and silver strings roped from spine to spine. Kydran reached out to the red-handled weapon bearing his pendant. He yanked it out of the ground, and examined the blade. The weapon, as a whole, was very key- shaped, for at the end of the blade protruded something like the teeth of a key, hooking and curving viciously, and Kydran could see the outline of a heart cut into the teeth of the blade.  
Kydran could hear something whispering to him, and strained to hear. Keyblade, the voice whispered, and shook his head in disbelief. Pandora seemed just as drawn to the other weapon, and pulled it out of the ground. Hers was far more intricate, and in the teeth of her keyblade (he could only assume that's what it was), a small orb hovered, emitting a dim prismatic light. They both seemed dazed by the two keyblades, but their focus was broken when Camille screamed, "Look up there! What is that?!"  
Out of the rip came a huge, black form, easily the size of a two- story house. It was hurtling in their direction, as the keyblades had, and something stirred within Kydran's memories. Another voice, harsher and colder than the one before, whispered at him.  
Nemesis, the voice hissed angrily, and Kydran knew that he would have to stand and fight it. 


End file.
